Environmental Protection in the Arctic : support of German activities in the Arctic Council in terms of a pilot study on monitoring plastic litter on arctic coastlines applying remote sensing techniques :final report / by Schnurawa, Marc; Vilela, Raul; Kersten, Anna (BioConsult SH GmbH & Co. KG, Husum), Schulz, Marcus (AquaEcology GmbH & Co. KG, Oldenburg) ; on behalf of the German Environment Agency ; report performed by: BioConsult SH & Co. KG,

Abstract

Uniform monitoring of beach litter in the Arctic is crucial for assessing the state of the environment and the success of measures against plastic debris to protect the marine environment. In this project, remote sensing methods such as satellite imagery and drone imagery were used to efficiently survey beaches in the Arctic. The results show that a combination of satellite imagery, drone imagery, and traditional mapping is most effective, and drone aerial surveys hold great potential for long-term monitoring of beach litter. Future studies should use higher resolution to capture smaller trash accumulations. These findings will help to better understand the environmental impact in the Arctic and to take appropriate action.